The Roth Show: Episode 14: Iaido Training

Your host, David Lee Roth, explains about Iaido and also demonstrates some techniques.

Iaido is a modern Japanese martial art associated with the smooth, controlled movements of drawing the sword from its scabbard or saya, striking or cutting an opponent, removing blood from the blade, and then replacing the sword in the scabbard. While new students of iaido may start learning with a wooden sword (bokken) depending on the teaching style of a particular instructor, many of those who study iaido use a blunt edged sword (iait?). Few, more experienced, iaido practitioners use a sharp edged sword (shinken).

Because iaido is practiced with a weapon, it is almost entirely practiced using forms, or kata. Multiple person kata exist within some schools of iaido, when iaidoka will usually use bokken for such kata practice. Iaido does include competition in form of katabut does not use sparring of any kind. Because of this non-fighting aspect, and iaido’s emphasis on precise, controlled, fluid motion, it is sometimes referred to as “moving Zen.”